EIS

March 2017
Implications to Local Milk Supply
Hawaii Dairy Farms is disappointed to share that the Department of Health has made a determination to require submission of a second Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). We respect the agency’s determination, but we believe that the Department of Health’s decision, coupled with the Office of Environmental Quality Control’s more rigorous guidance on responses to comments, has far reaching consequences to all future development projects that require an EIS. We are currently evaluating the impact of this determination on the project’s timeline. Continue to read here.

February 2017
Final EIS Temporarily Withdrawn from Consideration

After consulting with the state Office of Environmental Quality Control (OEQC) regarding its interpretation of the administrative rules pertaining to the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement, we have withdrawn our Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) from consideration by the Department of Health. Under the Hawaii Administrative Rules, an applicant can withdraw its FEIS prior to determination and resubmit, which restarts the clock for the Department of Health’s review of the FEIS.

We decided to withdraw the FEIS from the Department of Health's consideration to allow time to provide additional responses to comments per the new guidance we received regarding the Office of Environmental Quality Control’s interpretation of the administrative rules.

We are not giving up. We remain firm in our belief that our plan is sound and will benefit Hawaii by providing more fresh, local milk, creating a sustainable, pasture-based dairy model and revitalizing the local dairy industry. A new FEIS will be submitted when the consulting team feels it has been able to adequately respond to all comments per OEQC’s guidance. Given the indeterminate timing of the resubmittal, Hawaii Dairy Farms is also withdrawing its NPDES Stormwater Construction Permit application and will resubmit it when the EIS determination process has been completed.

We appreciate the support, both public and private, that we've received throughout the journey. We will keep you apprised as we work through our response efforts.

Please see the infographic below to learn more about the EIS process. The colored number bubble indicates where we are within the process.

January 2017
Final EIS Submitted to the Department of Health

After nearly two years of testing and technical work by experts, Hawaii Dairy Farms has submitted its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to the Department of Health (DOH) for determination of acceptability. We anticipate that it will be officially published on the Office of Environmental Quality Control’s website on February 8, 2017. In the meantime, the document is available early from the links below. Additional information is available from the Department of Health's Environmental Planning Office. Those who provided comments to the Draft EIS will be receiving a response either via postal mail or email in the coming week, including a PDF version of the FEIS or an electronic link.

Hawaii Dairy Farms is confident the FEIS demonstrates that the committed herd size of 699 mature dairy cows and any future possible expansion of the pasture-based model will have no significant impact on the environment, public health, and Kauai’s special way of life. Mahalo to everyone for their support and patience during this important process.

The FEIS comprises nine volumes of content and is the result of countless hours of work by expert consultants. Community comments were addressed and incorporated. Because of its size, the document will be available in PDF format for download by volume. Hard copies were mailed to the Lihue and Koloa public libraries in tandem with our submittal to DOH for ease of review and should be available in the coming weeks.

By law, the Department of Health has 30 calendar days from receipt (1/17/2017) to make its determination of acceptability.

Please see the infographic below to learn more about the EIS process. The colored number bubble indicates where we are within the process.

This is a key milestone in making Hawaii Dairy Farms a reality and providing more fresh, locally produced milk to Hawaii families. Mahalo to those who submitted comments that will help strengthen the final EIS that will be submitted to the Department of Health for its determination.

Please see the infographic below to learn more about the EIS process. The colored number bubble indicates where we are within the process. We look forward to continuing the dialogue with you about this exciting project.

July 2016

Setting the Record Straight
You may have been hearing advertisements misrepresenting the facts about Hawaii Dairy Farms, attacking our farm manager, our consultants, and our Draft Environmental Impact Statement. We encourage you to read the facts about our project by clicking here.

We welcome the community to review the draft EIS to better understand how we will produce fresh milk for Hawaii in a responsible and sustainable way.

June 2016

EIS PROCESS
We are preparing an Environmental Impact Statement as the highest level of environmental scrutiny possible to address those impacts – not becase we have to – but because we believe it is the right thing to do. We believe this will demonstrate how our farm will play a vital role in increasing current local milk production and bolstering the state’s declining dairy industry.

Our consultant Group 70 International prepared the document and is managing the EIS process. Group 70 submitted the Draft EIS to the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), which is the accepting agency for the EIS, with assistance from the State Office of Environmental Quality Control (OEQC). It was published on June 8, 2016. DOH and OEQC will ensure the EIS follows all requirements of HRS 343, which is Hawaii’s environmental protection law.

Please see the infographic below to learn more about the EIS process. The colored number bubble indicates where we are within the process.

The draft EIS is now available for download on OEQC’s website. The 45-day draft EIS public comment period will end on July 25, 2016. All comments must be submitted in writing to HDF@Group70int.com or mailed to either Group 70 International or DOH in order to be considered as part of the formal review process.

OUR COMMITMENT
As a matter of good faith and a pono approach, we have pledged not to undertake the construction of the dairy’s buildings, utilities or effluent ponds until after the regulators have accepted the final EIS. During the entire EIS period, we will continue to maintain our pastureland and could install fencing as allowed by the West Kauai Soil & Water Conservation District approval of our NRCS conservation plan. We have installed water quality monitoring wells for on-site testing.

We look forward to continuing to share our plans with the community and debunk any misinformation or rumors. To keep updated, please visit this page often or sign up to receive our emails.

Mahalo for your interest in understanding our farm and how we plan to produce fresh milk for Hawaii's families and future generations.

February 2015
EISPN Community Briefing and Open House

View the EISPN Community Briefing and Open House breakout group notes below in the slideshow. The comments are grouped by topic area, with all pages together on one slide and then closer up individually.

To make the comments easier to read, we've also compiled everything from the flip charts into a PDF for download. Group 70 and its team of expert consultants are in the process of conducting the technical studies at this time. Comments from the briefing helped inform the scope of the studies. Responses to comments will be distributed as the technical studies conclude and the Draft EIS nears completion.

January 2015

The EIS, which is the highest environmental scrutiny of our plans, will be completed prior to construction of any dairy facilities on the farm. By going directly to an EIS, we are demonstrating our commitment to collaborate with the community to address concerns based on facts, not fears.

The Hawaii Department of Health is the accepting agency for the EIS and Group 70 International is the consultant we’ve hired to prepare the document. The State Office of Environmental Quality Control will be assisting the Department of Health to ensure the EIS follows all requirements of HRS 343, which is Hawaii’s environmental protection law.

Please see the infographic below to learn more about the EIS process. The colored number bubble indicates where we are within the process.

The 30-day EISPN public comment period ended on February 23, 2015. We look forward to continuing to engage the community in our plans to build the first grass-fed, zero-discharge dairy in Hawaii. Please visit this page often or join our mailing list to get updates.

As a matter of good faith and a pono approach, we pledge not to undertake the construction of the dairy buildings, utilities or effluent ponds until after the regulators have reviewed the EIS. During this review period, we will continue to maintain our pastureland and install fencing as allowed by the West Kauai Soil & Water Conservation District approval of our NRCS conservation plan. We have installed water quality monitoring wells for on-site testing.

Mahalo for your interest in understanding our farm and how we are working to produce fresh, local milk for Hawaii's families in a more sustainable way that is good for the health of our environment, community and cows.